Characteristics of the fetus
Khrustik is not the largest type of cucumber. The average length is 11 cm. The diameter reaches 4 cm. The shape is cylindrical, sometimes similar to a barrel. The shade has an ombre effect - from dark green it turns almost white. Sometimes there are yellowish stripes along the entire length or spots of the same type. There are medium-sized pimples along the entire length of the cucumber.
Note!
Young fruits are covered with sharp pimples mixed with fluff. The pulp is dense, almost white.
The weight of a cucumber reaches 120 g, but more often it is 100-110. Crunch F1 is distinguished by its juiciness and crunch. Tastes pleasant and sweet. The peel has a delicate taste and is never bitter.
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Important characteristics of the fruit:
- Early ripening variety. The first harvest can be obtained within 40 days after planting in open ground.
- The yield of the variety is always high, regardless of weather conditions during the planting season. From one m2 the maximum yield is 15 kg, but more often the yield is 11 kg;
- Thanks to its hybrid properties, it has high immunity. Never suffers from powdery mildew, tobacco mosaic virus, root rot and very rarely suffers from downy mildew.
- Its appetizing appearance makes it attractive to buyers.
Description of cucumbers Khrustik F1
The hybrid belongs to the category of indeterminate. It does not have a “programmed” limit for shoot growth. If they are not trimmed, the cucumber vines can stretch 3-3.5 m. The growth rate is quite high, but the stems do not branch intensively. The foliage is average, the leaves are not too large.
The flowers are predominantly “female”. Each of them is a future fruit ovary. Flowering in bunches. According to the originator, each “bundle” consists of 7-8 flowers, the State Register and the experience of gardeners indicate that most often there are 2-3.
The shoots are quite powerful, but the Khrustik cucumber bushes still need support
Khrustik F1 cucumbers are one-dimensional (weighing about 120 g and 10-12 cm long), with a regular cylindrical shape. The skin is thin but durable, almost uniform in rich green color, slightly “diluted” with lighter thin strokes and blurry spots. There are few large tubercles and white spines, the edges are light and relatively sparse.
The pulp of cucumbers is very dense, juicy, without voids, with a pronounced fresh cucumber aroma and small, almost imperceptible seeds when eaten. The sweetish taste is officially described as "excellent". The absence of bitterness is genetic.
The purpose of the fruit is universal. Khrustik cucumbers are very good fresh (both on their own and as a component for salad, okroshka) and in homemade preparations. Often, for salting and pickling, “gherkins” weighing 60-80 g and 7-8 cm long are removed.
The fruits retain their characteristic distinct crunch and texture even after salting and pickling.
Productivity and benefits of the variety
When organizing standard growing conditions, the yield ranges from 11 to 13 kg. If you regularly provide nutrition with various microelements, you can independently increase fruiting to 15 kg per 1 m2. This yield rate is considered high for hybrids.
Attention!
The advantage is that the quality and quantity of fruits are almost not affected by external conditions, which the gardener cannot change.
The main advantages of Khrustik are clearly related to its hybrid properties:
- Fast ripening speed. When summers are short and cool, rapid crop ripening is a significant advantage.
- Resistance to changing environmental conditions. Therefore, this variety grows equally well in open ground and in greenhouses.
- No need for special care. Khrustik needs standard watering and fertilizing at the stage of planting in open ground and at the time of flowering. There is no need to create additional conditions.
- Resistance to major cucumber diseases.
- Marketable condition.
Khrustik does not have many disadvantages, but it is important to study them before planting.
- Photophilousness. It is better to choose places for planting with good lighting, both in the greenhouse and in the open air. In cloudy weather, the amount of harvest may be slightly reduced.
- Negative reaction to drought. In general, this plant can live quietly for 4-5 days without watering. However, if significant lumps have already formed in the soil, the vegetable will not be able to develop normally because the root system will die.
- Susceptible to attack by pests. Khrustik does not have a defense mechanism to prevent attacks by common aphids, melon aphids and spider mites.
The geography of the described variety is very wide, even in Siberia a high-quality harvest is obtained.
How to care for a growing hybrid
It is recommended to water the described vegetable 3 times a week until the ovaries appear. After this, the frequency of watering is increased to 1 time per day. These parameters are maintained until fruiting begins. For irrigation, use warm water that has been left in the sun. The procedure is carried out early in the morning, before the sun rises. Moderate volumes of water are used to spray bushes. Flooding plants is strictly prohibited.
After each watering, you need to loosen the soil in the beds. This allows plant roots to receive sufficient oxygen. To improve ventilation, lower leaves are removed from the bushes. To prevent garden pests (slugs, insects) from reaching the roots of the hybrid, it is recommended to introduce wood ash into the soil in the beds.
Pollination and disease resistance
Due to its hybrid properties, it is a self-pollinating variety. Thanks to this, Khrustik F1 produces a high-quality harvest in the greenhouse.
Resistance to major diseases of other varieties. Never suffers from powdery mildew and is almost protected from downy mildew. However, pests can completely destroy the crop.
Advice!
For prevention, it is necessary to treat the vegetative part of the plant with special solutions or folk remedies.
Onion peels, garlic, hot peppers, tobacco - solutions based on them are the best folk remedies.
Suitable chemicals include:
- Inta-Vir;
- Fitoverm;
- Karate;
- Confidor.
Karate can be used to process shoots with already grown fruits, this increases efficiency.
The most unfavorable condition for this variety is dry soil in the shade. This species is unable to cope with the lack of sun and long-term lack of water. Therefore, despite its resistance to changing environmental conditions, the vegetable must be properly cared for.
Reviews
Alina 31
I grow vegetables exclusively in a greenhouse, but most of the varieties I have require careful care. I liked Khrustik because it grows almost independently and there are no difficulties in working.
Anastasia 38
My husband bought the “Miracle Crunch” variety, although he asked for a completely different variety, but the seller recommended them. And I can say that I really liked them. At first I was worried that I would have to tie it up and pinch out the shoots every week, but no, the cucumbers grow wonderfully and are very tasty.
Igor 34
We have a large garden and I like to tinker with different varieties and compare them. After all, each variety is suitable for its own purposes. With Khrustik everything is different; cucumbers have an excellent taste, both canned and fresh. I recommend it to everyone!
Features of agricultural technology of the variety
Before planting seeds, you need to carefully prepare the soil. If the soil is unsuitable, the plants will not be able to fully develop and bear fruit in it.
Preparation stages:
- Selecting the most illuminated place on the site.
- Hydration. Thoroughly water the planting site.
- Loosening. To ensure aeration and breathability, carefully dig up the soil.
- Processing with sawdust. To remove excess moisture, the ground is sprinkled with sawdust.
- Weather upon landing. The soil temperature should remain at 12-13 °C throughout the week.
- Seeds are planted according to a 50x50 pattern to a depth of 3 cm.
- Before sprouts appear, even in a greenhouse, cover the planting with polyethylene.
However, there is also a seedling type of planting. In this case, the seeds are planted in containers a month before planting in open soil. The sprouts are watered once every two days, and be sure to place them on the sunny side of the apartment. Such seedlings are planted in a greenhouse or in beds by the end of May.
The main goal of caring for a cucumber is to maintain its crunch. The main force behind the crunch is regular watering with exceptionally warm water. Water is applied directly to the root. Weeding is carried out as weeds appear. At the same time as weeding, you can loosen the soil. Saturation of roots with oxygen accelerates the growth and ripening of fruits.
Timely feeding is another important element of growing. Fertilization usually begins immediately after planting. It is optimal to feed the bushes twice a month. In the first half of the month, organic fertilizers are used, and in the second half, mineral fertilizers are used.
Note!
Unusual but effective fertilizer options are infusions of banana peels, onion peels and potato peels.
It is important to apply any solutions directly to the root, without getting on the shoots. It is equally important to protect cucumbers from pests. It is enough to carry out preventive treatment with any insecticides once a month.
Tying up the shoots is a necessary step. When they first reach 20 cm, in order to avoid breaking the thin stems, they are tied to hard sticks. These can be ordinary pieces of wood or metal parts of the greenhouse. As they grow, the shoots are tied up. This rule must be observed, otherwise the ripening young fruits will simply rot.
Landing
Purchased seeds do not need to be treated with fungicides and stimulants. They are sown for seedlings in the second half of April or planted directly into the ground when the temperature rises sufficiently. The soil temperature should be set at +15 degrees, and the air temperature should be at least +16 (night temperatures of at least +8 are allowed).
Basic rules for obtaining healthy seedlings:
- small containers with a volume of 300-400 ml, preferably made of peat;
- loose nutritious soil with a high content of humus;
- temperature before germination is about +25, after - +18-20;
- sunny day for at least 8-10 hours (if there is not enough sun, you need to turn on the lamps).
If the seeds are sold in a colored shell, abundant watering is necessary before germination so that the shell dissolves and the nutrients can take effect.
The cucumber bed should be located in the sun - the Khrustik hybrid does not like shade. Need protection from the wind. The best predecessors are root vegetables, nightshades, legumes, cabbage, corn or onions.
The recommended layout is 30 by 70 cm.
Harvest storage
Since the main property of this type is crunch. With almost any type of storage, the crunch disappears after 3-4 months. The pulp softens and the peel withers.
Several storage options for crunch:
- Canning. Pickling cucumbers, pickling them, using them in preparations for salad mixtures - all this is guaranteed to preserve the crunch and firmness of the pulp.
- Vacuum. This method will require a special vacuum machine. However, with this method, oxygen and microbes do not reach the cucumbers, the taste is not affected by any external elements, and the freshness and crunch of the vegetable are preserved. Therefore, the cost of the product for vacuum preservation of products is justified.
- In a household refrigerator. Fresh cucumbers of this variety can be stored in the refrigerator for one month. Storing in the freezer will kill all the nutrients and make the vegetables limp.
You can pour ice water into the storage container - then the cucumbers will be preserved for an even longer period.
